A charge to keep … a story still to be told

Two months since I last blogged … a lot’s been happening.
Amongst all this, two new songs.

Here’s the first – A charge to keep – written for potential use at the synod meeting of the Uniting Church here in Queensland, Australia this coming October. David Baker becomes Moderator; this song picks up on aspects of the text in Numbers 9:15-23, on which I understand we’ll draw as community of faith.

At the Lord’s command, the Israelites would march, and at the Lord’s command they would camp. As long as the cloud settled on the dwelling, they would camp.When the cloud lingered on the meeting tent for many days, the Israelites would observe the Lord’s direction and they wouldn’t march … Whether it was two days, or a month, or a long time, the Israelites would camp so long as the cloud lingered on the dwelling and settled on it. They wouldn’t march. But when it ascended, they would march.They camped at the Lord’s command and they marched at the Lord’s command. They followed the Lord’s direction according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

A charge to keep is a song about moving in tune to God; moving in response to the call of God; as people of God fulfilling the saving and life-giving purposes of God. It’s a “call song”.

It’s also quite deliberately hymn-like and a bit Celtic/Irish in feel. Go the tin-whistle! Maybe my inner Mumford & Sons. See what you think.